Technologies for positioning enhancement in unlicensed spectrum

Abstract

The present application relates to devices and components including apparatus, systems, and methods to provide positioning enhancements on unlicensed spectrum.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media (NTCRM) having instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a user equipment (UE) to:
 receive, from a location management function (LMF), a request for the UE to provide a positioning capability or to perform a positioning measurement; 
 generate, based on the request, a message that includes positioning capability information to indicate whether the UE supports positioning operations in an unlicensed spectrum, wherein UE support for positioning operations in the unlicensed spectrum is separate from UE support for positioning operations in a licensed spectrum; and 
 transmit the message. 
 
     
     
       2. The one or more NTCRM of  claim 1 , wherein the UE is to transmit the message to the LMF via a long term evolution positioning protocol (LPP) or to a serving base station via radio resource control (RRC) signaling. 
     
     
       3. The one or more NTCRM of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning capability information is to indicate whether the UE supports an over-the-air, direction-of arrival (OTDOA) positioning operation on clear channel assessment (CCA) carriers. 
     
     
       4. The one or more NTCRM of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning capability information is to indicate whether the UE supports positioning reference signal (PRS) measurements on clear channel assessment (CCA) carriers. 
     
     
       5. The one or more NTCRM of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning capability information is to indicate whether the UE supports a multiple round-trip time positioning operation on clear channel assessment (CCA) carriers. 
     
     
       6. The one or more NTCRM of  claim 1 , wherein the request is for the UE to provide the positioning capability information. 
     
     
       7. The one or more NTCRM of  claim 1 , wherein the request is for the UE to perform the positioning measurement. 
     
     
       8. The one or more NTCRM of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning capability information is to indicate the UE supports positioning operations in the unlicensed spectrum and the instructions, when executed, further cause the UE to:
 extend a predetermined positioning measurement period for a positioning operation in the unlicensed spectrum. 
 
     
     
       9. A user equipment (UE) comprising:
 radio-frequency (RF) interface circuitry; and 
 processing circuitry coupled with the RF interface circuitry, the processing circuitry to:
 receive, from a location management function (LMF) via the RF interface circuitry, a request for the UE to provide a positioning capability or to perform a positioning measurement; 
 generate, based on the request, a message that includes positioning capability information to indicate whether the UE supports positioning operations in an unlicensed spectrum, wherein UE support for positioning operations in the unlicensed spectrum is separate from UE support for positioning operations in a licensed spectrum; and 
 transmit, via the RF interface circuitry, the message. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The UE of  claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further to transmit the message to the LMF via a long term evolution positioning protocol (LPP) or to a serving base station via radio resource control (RRC) signaling. 
     
     
       11. The UE of  claim 9 , wherein the positioning capability information is to indicate whether the UE supports an over-the-air, direction-of arrival (OTDOA) positioning operation on clear channel assessment (CCA) carriers. 
     
     
       12. The UE of  claim 9 , wherein the positioning capability information is to indicate whether the UE supports positioning reference signal (PRS) measurements on clear channel assessment (CCA) carriers. 
     
     
       13. The UE of  claim 9 , wherein the positioning capability information is to indicate whether the UE supports a multiple round-trip time positioning operation on clear channel assessment (CCA) carriers. 
     
     
       14. The UE of  claim 9 , wherein the request is for the UE to provide the positioning capability information or to perform the positioning measurement. 
     
     
       15. A method of operating a location management function (LMF), the method comprising:
 transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a request for the UE to provide a positioning capability or to perform a positioning measurement; and 
 receiving, from the UE, a message that includes positioning capability information to indicate whether the UE supports positioning operations in an unlicensed spectrum, wherein UE support for positioning operations in the unlicensed spectrum is separate from UE support for positioning operations in a licensed spectrum. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a base station, an indication of a listen-before-talk (LBT) failure that mutes a reference signal to be transmitted for a positioning measurement within an unlicensed spectrum; and 
 filtering positioning measurement results based on the indication. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 generating assistance data to configure positioning measurements based on the positioning capability information; and 
 transmitting the assistance data to the UE. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the positioning capability information is to indicate whether the UE supports an over-the-air, direction-of arrival (OTDOA) positioning operation on clear channel assessment (CCA) carriers. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the positioning capability information is to indicate whether the UE supports positioning reference signal (PRS) measurements on clear channel assessment (CCA) carriers. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the positioning capability information is to indicate whether the UE supports a multiple round-trip time positioning operation on clear channel assessment (CCA) carriers.